Flexible skirts for ground effect vehicles



May 24, 1966 R. s. JONES FLEXIBLE SKIRTS FOR GROUND EFFECT VEHICLES Filed July 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheec 1 FIG. I

RICHARD S. JONES BY Q Q Dal A TTORNE Y5 May 24, 1966 R. s. JONES FLEXIBLE SKIRTS FOR GROUND EFFECT VEHICLES Filed July 15, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR RlCHARD S. JONES BY wz QQQ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,252,536 FLEXIBLE SKIRTS FOR GROUND EFFECT VEHICLES Richard Stanton Jones, Cowes-lsle of Wight, England, assignor to Westland Aircraft Limited, Yeovil, England Filed July 15, 1963, Ser. No. 295,171

Claims. (Cl. 1807) This invention relates to a ground eflect vehicle and more particularly to the flexible skirt which extends around the periphery of the vehicle, specifically that portion of the skirt at the stern portion of the vehicle.

In my prior application, Serial No. 251,340 filed January 14, 1963 there is disclosed a flexible skirt for ground effect vehicles. This skirt extends around the periphery of the base of the ground etiect vehicle and may comprise inner and outer spaced walls forming ducts for the pas sage of air which forms the ground eiiect cushion. This depending skirt must be flexible in order to permit the ground elfect vehicle to pass over obstacles. It has been found that the flexible skirt at the rear end portion of the vehicle resists such flexible movement upon impact with a wave or object as the vehicle moves forwardly. This is because that portion of the skirting surrounding the stern acts as a scoop when the vehicle is moving forward over ground or water. The rear or stern skirting portion is thus prone to damage, particularly during high speed operation. Obviously, it is essential that the skirting remain suspended downwardly in order to prevent the escape of the air cushion and thus a degree of rigidity is required to prevent unwanted outward flexing under the influence of the cushion pressure. However, the skirt at the rear end portion of the vehicle must'flcx rearwardly when obstacles are struck.

The above difliculties have been overcome and satisfactory operation achieved by constructing the flexible skirting in accordance with the present invention. According to the present invention that portion of the flexible skirting surrounding the rear end or stern portion of the ground effect vehicle is provided with a generally vertically extending split substantially on the longitudinal center line of the vehicle so that the individual mating parts of the skirting at the stern are able to flex rearwardly. This vertical split permits the skirting to flex rearwardly despite the scoop like action'which takes place when obstacles are struck during forward motion and the skirting assumes its original position when the obstacles have been cleared. The matingportions of the flexible skirt at the rear end portion of the vehicle may be inter connected by means of elastic cords or ballast weights may be used to return the skirt to its original position. According to another embodiment of the present invention the end portions of the skirting are spaced at the stern of the vehicle and the flexible keel extending along the longitudinal center line of the vehicle extends into the space between the end portions thus, each of the peripheral end portions of the skirt is free to flex rearwardly when an obstacle is struck.

An object of the present invention is to provide a flex ible skirt for a ground eflect vehicle, that portion of the flexible skirt at the stern of the vehicle being adapted to flex rearwardly when an obstacle is struck.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible skirt for a ground effect vehicle, the flexible skirt having a vertical split at the stem end whereby the mating portions of the skirt are adapted to flex rearwardly when an obstacle is struck.

Other objects and many of the intended advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stern end portion 3,252,536 Patented May 24, 1966 of a ground effect vehicle having flexible skirting according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the flexible skirting for the stern of a ground elfect vehicle and FIG. 3 is an underside plan view of another embodiment of the present invention.

The stern skirt is formed in two sections, namely, a starboard stern skirting and .a port stern skirting, the port and starboard sections meeting on the stern center line, in edge meeting contact in the normally suspended position, but the two sections are not joined together and there is a vertical split therebetween. As shown in FIG. 1 there is provided a rigid base structure 1 of the ground effect vehicle. The two halves of the flexible stern skirting are shown at 2 and 3. Each of these sections is formed by an integral piece of flexible material, such as nylon reinforced rubber, synthetic rubber or a flexible plastic. The integral sheet of material is folded upon itself to form inner and outer walls 4 and 5 respectively thereby providing ducts 9 therebetween for the passage of air to form the pressurized cushion. The end portions of the starboard and port skirt sections are folded as shown at 6 but these folds are not interconnected and thus .edge of the other stern section.

there is provided a vertical split 8 therebetween. This vertical split is normally maintained closed by the pressure of air flowing through the ducts 9 which inflates the skirting into edge contact between the port and starboard sections.

The skirting 2 and 3 is restrained against outward deflection due to the air pressure Within the cushion under the rigid base I by means of flexible membranes 10 and 11 which are secured to the base platform 1 of the vehicle and to the skirting 2 and 3 at a point intermediate the upper and lower end thereof so that the botom edges of the skirting are free to flex.

There are further provided diaphragms 12 which strengthen and shape the skirting and which extend beends of the inner and outer walls of the skirting. Such articulated cross ties may be provided in the present invention to prevent the Walls from flexing apart beyond the desired amount under the influence of the air pressure within ducts 9. Such articulated cross ties permit other flexing between the walls 4 and 5 beneath the cross diaphragms 12.

It is possible according to a further embodiment of the invention to prevent undue rearward movement of the flexible skirting by mean-s of tensioning cords such as shown at 13 in FIG. 2. These tensioning cords extend from the upper edge of one stern section to the lower Such tensioning cords may be provided with the desired degree of resilience to maintain the stern skirting sections in normal upstanding positions under the influence of the air pressure within the skirting but which will permit rearward movement of the skirting when an obstacle is encountered. Itis further possible according to this embodiment of the invention to adjust the depth of the verticle split 8 by means of a plurality of straps 14 placed across the upper portion of the split 8 and which may be connected or disconnected at will to suit any operational requirements.

Still another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3 wherein the stern skirt is split to provide a gap teachings.

therebetween and a centrally disposed flexible stability keel extends into this gap. By disposing the keel .15 in such manner the split 8 is sealed between the port and starboard skirt portions thus reducing any tendency for undue escape of air from the pressurized cushion during operation.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the foregoing For example, more than one split may be provided in the skirt and, if desired, the tensioning cords 13 may be disposed on either the inside or the outside of the skirt portions. It can further be appreciated that there is a wide choice of flexible materials which have the required strength to form the material for the skirting.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A flexible skirt for a ground effect vehicle having a rigid base structure, said flexible skirt formed by a single sheet of flexible rubber-like material depending from the base structure of the ground effect vehicle and comprising a pair of inner and outer generally vertically extending flexible walls, said flexible skirt extending around the entire periphery of the base structure to form a completely enclosed air cushion beneath the vehicle freefrom rigid structure, cross diaphragms supporting said inner and outer walls in spaced relationship, said cross diaphragms and inner and outer walls forming a plurality of ducts for the passage of air which forms the cushion beneath said vehicle, the inner wall being connected to the outer wall at the stem end of the vehicle on each side of the vehicle to form a vertical split in the skirt at the stern end whereby the flexible skirt on each side of the vertical split is adapted to flex rearwardly awhen striking; an object during forward motion of said vehicle.

2. A flexible skirt for a ground effect vehicle having a rigid base structure with forward and stern ends, the flexible skirt extending beneath the rigid base around the entire periphery thereof to form a completely enclosed air cushion beneath the vehicle free from rigid structure, the flexible skirt being-split at the stern end only of said vehicle to provide a pair of mating parts, said mating parts being adapted to flex rearwardly when striking an object during forward motion of said vehicle, said mating parts normally engaging each other along at least a portion of the opposing edges thereof to prevent any substantial escape of air from the enclosed air cushion, and a resilient means operatively connected to the mating parts of the flexible skirt for maintaining a portion of the opposing edges of said mating parts in engagement.

3. A flexible skirt for a ground effect vehicle having a rigid base structure, said flexible skirt comprising a pair of inner and outer generally vertically extending flexible walls, said flexible skirt extending around the entire periphery of the base structure to form a completely enclosed air cushion beneath the vehicle free from rigid structure, cross diaphragms supporting said inner and outer walls in spaced relationship, said cross diaphragms and inner and outer walls forming a plurality of ducts for the passage of air which forms the cushion beneath said vehicle, the inner wall being connected to the outer wall at the stern end of the vehicle on each side of the vehicle to form a vertical split in the skirt at the stern end whereby the flexible skirt on each side of the vertical split is adapted to flex rearwardly when striking an object during forward motion of said vehicle, and straps are secured to the end portions of said flexible skirt on each side of the vertical split to adjust the depth of the split.

4. A flexible skirt for a ground effect vehicle having a rigid base structure with forward and stem ends, the flexible skirt extending beneath the rigid base around the entire periphery thereof to form a completely enclosed air cushion beneath the vehicle free from rigid structure, said flexible skirt comprising a pair of inner and outer generally vertically extending flexible walls and a plurality of cross diaphragms interconnecting the inner and outer walls and having the ends thereof terminating short of the bottom of the flexible skirt to avoid scooping water during forward motion of the vehicle, the flexible skirt being split at the stern end only of said vehicle to provide a pair of mating parts, said mating parts being adapted to flex rearwardly when striking an object during forward motion of said vehicle, said mating parts normally engaging each other along at least a portion of the opposing edges thereof to prevent any substantial escape of air fromthe enclosed air cushion.

5. A flexible skirt for a ground effect vehicle having a rigid base structure, said flexible skirt comprising a pair of inner and outer generally vertically extending flexible walls, said flexible skirt extending around the entire periphery of the base structure to form a completely enclosed air cushion beneath the vehicle free from rigid structure, cross diaphragms supporting said inner and outer walls in spaced relationship, said cross diaphragms. and inner and outer walls forming a plurality of ducts for the passage of air which forms the cushion beneath said vehicle, the inner wall being connected to the outer wall at the stern end of the vehicle on each side of the vehicle to form a vertical'split in the skirt at the stem end whereby the flexible skirt on each side of the vertical split is adapted to flex rearwardly when striking an object during forward motion of said vehicle, and a central flexible keel extending along the longitudinal center line of the base and extending between spaced end portions of the peripheral skirt at the stern end'of the vehicle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,027,860 4/1962 Priest 114-67 3,180,443 4/1965' Jones 7 7 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,319,034 1/1963 France.

975 9/1914 Great Britain. 925,425 5/1963 Great Britain.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner. M. A. KLEIN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A FLEXIBLE SKIRT FOR A GROUND EFFECT VEHICLE HAVING A RIGID BASE STRUCTURE WITH FORWARD AND STERN ENDS, THE FLEXIBLE SKIRT EXTENDING BENEATH THE RIGID BASE AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY THEREOF TO FOR, A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED AIR CUSHION BENEATH THE VEHICLE FREE FROM RIGID STRUCTURE, THE FLEXIBLE SKIRT BEING SPLIT AS TH STERN END ONLY OF SAID VEHICLE TO PROVIDE A PAIR OF MATIN PARTS, SAID MATING PARTS BEING ADAPTED TO FLEX REARWARDLY WHEN STRIKING AN OBJECT DURING FORWARD MOTION OF SAID VEHICLE, SAID MATING PARTS NORMALLY ENGAGING EACH OTHER ALONG AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE OPPOSING EDGES THEREOF TO PREVENT ANY SUBSTANTIAL ESCAPE OF AIR FROM THE ENCLOSED AIR CUSHION, AND A RESILIENT MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE MATING PARTS OF THE FLEXIBLE SKIRT FOR MAINTAINING A PORTION OF THE OPPOSING EDGES OF SAID MATING PARTS IN ENGAGEMENT. 